Bhubaneswar: In another tragic incident at a private coaching center in Bhubaneswar, the body of a second-year science student was found hanging in a hostel room. The incident comes just two months after a similar death at the same institution, stirring deep concern about student safety and well-being in such centers.
On Thursday morning, after repeated unanswered calls, father of the deceased frantically called up the warden and asked her to look for his daughter. When the warden went to check on her at the hostel in the early hours, the girl, a dedicated Plus Two science student, who had been preparing for upcoming NEET exams, was found hanging.
Her father, (name not divulged) from Salepur in Cuttack , shared that she had been feeling academic pressure recently, particularly regarding her physics exams scheduled within three months.
On being informed, Chandrasekharpur police reached the spot and began investigation. When police entered the hostel room to investigate, they saw the student’s bed crammed into a 10-by-6-foot converted kitchen, an unusual setup that raises questions about the hostel’s facilities. The family alleges that such arrangements could increase the stress and affect students’ mental well-being, particularly those far from home and under intense academic pressure.
On her recent conversations, the father of the student said his daughter had been in frequent contact with her mother, discussing her academic challenges. He mentioned that while she was committed to her studies, the stress of impending found three days after his passing, raised serious concerns over the center’s monitoring and response systems for students living on their premises.
The families of both students have alleged negligence by the coaching center, urging authorities to scrutinize hostel conditions and the overall welfare provided by such institutions.
Police said an unnatural death (UD) case 73/24 has been registered. The body of the student was sent for post-mortem and later handed over to the family, they added.
The recent cases have sparked broader questions regarding private coaching centers and hostels across Bhubaneswar, which house many students from across India. In response to growing concerns over student welfare, in January 2024, the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, had issued guidelines for coaching centers more so in the context of rising student suicide cases, fire incidents, lack of facilities as well as methodologies of teaching.
However, questions remain as to whether these guidelines are effectively enforced and whether institutions are adhering to the necessary protocols.
With these recent tragedies, there is renewed urgency for the Commissionerate Police to assess compliance with these guidelines, ensuring students’ safety and well-being amid rising commercialization in the education sector.
The local police have registered a case to investigate the circumstances surrounding this latest incident and are examining whether the hostel’s facilities meet the standards set by national guidelines.
In his statement, the father of the deceased student, expressed his anguish: “My daughter was under constant pressure to excel. It’s heartbreaking that she felt this was the only way out. We trusted the institution to provide her with a safe environment, but seeing her accommodations, I can’t help but question their practices.”
